Improvement in combination and register-padlocks



To all lwhom it may concern.-

lated mes aient @itin-r.'

Letters Patent No. 107,414, dated September 13, 1870,

navi i IMPaomIvmN'If IN COMBINATION AND RnGIsTER-PADLocKs.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making paxt of the same Be it -known that I, HENRY S. SnErAnDsoN, of Shelburne Falls, in the county of Franklin and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Padlocks, of which the followingr is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relatesv to padlocks and The invention consists in providing the lock with a series of rotary tumblers, operated by cog-wheels, and so arranged that they can be disconnected from the operating wheels without opening the lock, and thus change the combination on which the lock is closed or opened at will.

It further consists in providing the lock with a register, whichis operated by the closing of the lock, and having a cover that will automatically close the opening to the register, when the lockv is opened, to

prevent tampering with the register, all as hereinafter more fully explained.

Figure 1 represents the lock opened, withthe front of' the case and th cover of the register and operating disk removed, to more fully exhibit the mechanism.

Figure 2 represents the lock complete, with' all its operating mechanism in place, with t-he lock closed, the front rof' the case being removed, to'show the interior.

Figures 3, 4, .5, 6, ',l', 8, 9, 10, 1l, 12, 13, 14, '15, and 16 are views of -fthepart's shown more iu detail.

In' constructing my .improved lock, I make the case A inthe form shown 'in the drawing, or in any other snitable form, for containing the operating parts, and pivot to it a swinging hasp,lB, whiclrlatter has its rear end projecting some distance below the pin on which it turns, and'within the case, as shown in figs. 1 and 2'.

Ita suitable position to-lock into a notch in the front.- end of the has'p B, I,pivot a swinging dog or lockinglbola, the rear end of which is curved downward, so as to form an arc of a circle, concentric with the pin or center on. which the dog C turns, this dog being shown detached in iig. 5, and in position in figs. 1 and 2.

I then provide a series of rotary tumblers, F, which havea slotcnt in them, for the curved end of t-he dog to enter, whenthrown back', as represented in iig. 1. v I

' These tnlnblers have a series of cogs or teeth formed on their periphery, about two-thirds ofthe width of their face, the remaining portion being left projecting in the -form of a smooth edge or disk, entirely around, ex-

cept where the slot c' is cut in them, one of these' tuinblers being shown detached' in fig. 3, which repf .Jesents both a side`and an edge view.

These tumblers are mounted on a pin or journahf, xed in or projecting from the under side of .a swing ingarm, G, which is pivoted on the same pin or stud that supports the'loeking-dog G, as shown in viig.l2, and in dotted lines'in iig. 1, the arm Gr being longer than the dog C, so as to bring the tumblers F into the requisite position to permit the curved arm of the dog C to enter the slot c' of the tnmblers, the arm G being shown detached in iig. 10.

Between eachof the tumblers F I place a washer, g, which vhas a slot corresponding to thatof the tumblers, .as represented in fig. 6, these washers having a project-ionen their 4edge, where the slot is, of'snch a lengt-h that the curved arm of the dog never entirely leaves the slot in them, thereby preventing the washers' from turning, and thus serving to prevent the tumblers from turning each other by the friction ot' their sides or faces.

To operate these tumblers, I provide a corresponding series of cog-wheels, E, as represented in fig. 4.

These wheels E are mounted loosely on a tubular stud, located in such a, position inthe oase that they will gear into the tumbler-s Fwhen the swinging arm.y Gis in its normal position, as represented `in iigs. 1 and 2, a spring, a', shown in iig. 2,- serving to hold the arm G, so as to keep .the wheels and tumblers in gear, except when purposely thrown out of conneetion, which may be done at .any time when the lock isopen, by throwing the hasp back far enough to cause its inner projecting end, l', to strike'against the'shoulder n' on the arm G.- Y

These wheels Eeach have a'pin, h", projecting from each face,.as shown in `fig. 4, Aso that, when arranged on the stud, with a stationary washer between them, as one of them is turned, its piu h`wi|l strike against the corresponding pin on the adjoining -face ofthe next wheel, and t-hus communicate motion to, it also; andso on, continuously, through the entire series.

Upon the same stud, over these wheels, L place a vnotched geared plate, J, which is provided, in like manner, with pins, h, as shown iu iig. 7, and over this I mount still another plate or disk, H, provided with a similar pin on its under side, and having a correr.

sponding notch, fr, as represented in 'g. 13this` disk H also having a projecting flange upon its upper face, with a series of graduation marks andnumbers marked A on it, as shown in fig. 2. v It has', also, atubular stem,

projecting centrally from its underside, which iitsinto the tubular stud on which the wheels are mounted, this stem having a square or other forni of hole,jex

.tending,longitudinally through or into it, to'receivc and hold the operating key by which the (li-.nl disk H may be turned, and made to communicate motion to the guard-plate wheels E, and, through them, to" the tumhlers F, and, also, to the swingingv dog Offby means of the pawl u., when properly adjusted for opening the lock, as l'iereinaf'ter explained.

Upon the fiont end of the locking-dog()` I pivot -a pawl, a, which has its lower end suitably located to i'all into the notches in the edges of the plate .I and disk H when the notches are broughtin line, a spring,

c', serving to keep the free. end ot' the pawl pressed against the edge of' these disks, as shown in ligs. and 2.

In the lower part of the case A I locate a register, which consists of a. series of wheels, c, having the nulnerals from 1 to 0 markedLon their periphery.

'able pawls for preventing all but the upper wheel from turning, except at proper intervals, these devices heing common in registers. Y

'looperate this register, I place underneath the wheels e a plate, K, which projects, at its ends, on

opposite sides of the wheels c, as shown in figs. land 2, this plate being pivoted, near its center, close alongside of the stud o', on which the wheels care mounted.

To the rear end of this plate is secured a vertical stud, h, on which is pivoted .the pawls that .operate the wheels, the upper pawl, d, being shown inconnection with the wheel c, in figl 8.

To the front end ot' the plate 'K I pivot an arm, c, as shown in iig. 11, which is curved, so as to 'lie within the case A, along its vfront edge, and has its upper end exnding up to near the mouth or opening into which tue front end of the hasp enters when the lock is closed, it being so arranged that, as the hasp is closed, 'it will strike against the'end of the arm c, and,

by pushing it down in the case, cause the plateK to vibrate on its pivot, thereby throwing up its opposite end, carrying forwardthe pawl 11 which, being engaged with the upper wheel, e, of the register, carries' it forward one notch. t v

A spiralqspring, t', is connected, at one end, to this arm c, and at the other end to the front of the locking-dog C, which thus serves to draw the 'plate K, wit-h its pawls, back, ready for another movement, and, also, to draw the dog G forward, to engage with the hasp B, when the latter is shoved in to close the By this arrangement, it will-be seen that, when the lock is closed, the register records a certain number,i

,of theloek can tell at a glance whether or not the lock has been opened during his absence.

Toprcvent tampering with the register, through the opening m, I provide a plate, I, which is placed over the register, and is pivoted on a stud, a, and connected by a link or rod, I1, with the swinging dog C, as shown in ii". 2. c

The plate I hasa curved slot, q, cut in it, to lit over thestud o', and pefrmit it to swing to and fro on its pivot or stud, i", as the dog C swings back-and forth' in the act of locking or unlocking the hasp B,

the plate l', with its connecting-link, being. shown de-V tachedin iig. 15. u

y To one edge of this plate I is secured a notched liar, n, the projections on which engage in the notches ofthe register-wheels, as the lock is closed, thereby locking the wheels c fast, and preventing them from being turned.r

Along the lower lend of the plate I, I secure a plate or lip, o, which stands at right angles to the face ot' the plate I, andv is curved longitudinally, to correspond with the rim of the case, and has an opening, p, cnt through it, to correspond with the opening m in the case.

When the plate I is secured in position, as represented in iig. 2, this lip, o, is slipped down between the register-wheels and the bottom of the c ase, and the parts are so arranged that, when the dog Gis thrown forward, the plate I has its lower .end moved to the right, thus bringing the opening 11 in the lip or guard o, opposite the opening in in the case, thereby permitting the number opposite thc opening to be seen; but, as the dog C is thrown back to open the `lock, it throws thc guard o to the left, thereby closing the opening m, and shutting oli' access to the register-wheels, which are then released by the swinging away from them of the notched bar n.

By this arrangement the number can be seen when the lock is closed, at which time .the registerwheels are locked fast; but when the lock is opened, at which time the register-wheelsare release`d the opening -m' is closed by the slide or guard o, and the wheels c can neither be seen nor reached from the outside. 1

In order to permit the numbers ou the dial H to in the iront side of the case, as shown in iig. 12.

With a lock vthus constructed, the operation is as follows:

' To close it, it is only necessary to press the hasp shut, when the spring t, operating onthe dog G, draws it forward, causing its front end to enter the notch in the hasp B, and thereby locking the hasp firmly in position. l To open it, the key is' inserted in the hole in the center of the dial-plate H, which is then turned around severaltimes, or until the pin on its underside shall strike against the pin on disk J, and that, in llike manner, turned until its pin strikes that ot the first wheel E, and so on until all the wheels `are moved, the last one ot' the series, int-urn, moving the 'tumbler to which it is geared, until the slot c', in the tumbler is brought opposite` the arm b', on the locking-dog C, a careful count being kept ot' the number ot' turns given to the dial or key, and the number at which it stops being likewise noted. When this lower tumbler is thus arranged, with its slot ready to receive the arm b of the dog, the key, with the dial H, are reversed, and turned' in the opposite direction several times, until motion is communicated to the second tumbler, and its slot is, in like manner, brought to the same position' as the first, opposite the. arm i), the number at whichfthe dial key and dial are again reversed, and turned in the same direction as at first, until, in like manner, the third tumbler is brought, with its slot, inline with the others, the number oi turns and the number at which the dial stops being noted again. The dial is then reversed, and turned until the notch i, in the 4plate J, is brought opposite the end of the pawl a., the number at which it stops being noted, as before.

Again, the motion of the dial is reversed, and the dial turned'until the notch r in the dial is brought opposite theend ot' the pawl a, the number 4on the dial being again noted. Now, by turning the dial ing in its notch, the pawl a is shoved up, thereby pushing back the swinging dog C, until it is disengaged from the hasp, which is then thrown out hy the spring t operating on the arm c, which pushes against thefront end of the hasp,l as represented in fig. 2,' the arm b oi' the dog O resting inthe slots be seen, an opening, l, is made at a suitable point,`

stops being noted as before. When that is done, the" slightly' to the right, with the end ofthe pawlc restc'of the tumblers, when the lock .is opened, which prevents the tumblers from being turned until the lock is closed. g

The number of turns given each time to the dial H, together with the numbers at which the dial is stopped each time, thus forms a guide, or as technically termed, the combinatiom on which alone, the lock can be opened. 1- e y If at any time it is desired to change this combination, it can be done by pressiugthe hasp back,"un' til its projecting arm Z strikesA the shoulder n onthe.

swinging arm Gr, thereby throwing the lowerend of this arm to the right, and thus disengaging the tumblers from the operating wheels E, when the wheels` can be turned, all together or separately, to any extent desired, by means of the key; and, of course,

'when the tumblersV are swung back into gear with the wheels, their relative positions will be changed; and hence, the combination willhavebeen cor. v respondingly changed.. As the movement of any one ot' the wheels the distance of a single tooth, when many different combinations or changes as there are teeth on the tumbler, or on its operating wheel.

One i great advantage of this style ot' lock is that the combination can be changed without touching the tun1blers,'or having access to the interior oi the lock in any manner other than opening the hasp, andv I turning the key.`

Having thus described my invention,l

1. The combination of a register and its 4actuating mechanism with the hasp- B of a padlock, arranged to operate as described, whercby'the closing and open- ;ving of the hasp shall operate theregister, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofthe movable guard o and its lilik l1 with the perforated case A, the register, and the swinging dog C, all constructed and arranged to operate 'substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the projecting -arm l' of the v hasp B, with the swinging arm G, having the tum'- blers mounted thereon, and provided with the shoulder n, for disconnecting the tumblers from their operating wheels, to cha-nge the combination, as sety forth. 4

H. S. SHEPARDSON.

Witnesses: SMIL. D. BARDWELL, W. C. DODGE. 

